ravenmore

Ok, so today was one of those days. You know, one of those days that would be better spent if your feet didn't touch the floor next to your bed in the morning. I'll spare you some of the mundane details, but the issues started right after my feet touched the floor and proceeded with an exclamation point at the end of the work day.

I was beat down pretty good - upset, perhaps even a little depressed when I got on the bike to go home. I had to go north. A cold front had come through. The wind was out of the north. Brilliant. I'm trudging home on a road here named Parmer. Its pretty much a highway, but its got a wide shoulder and is a straight shot home. A lot of cyclist use it.

There's one section that passes in front of a huge high school stadium. Tonight being Friday night, there's a game of course and a lot of traffic trying to get into the stadium. So much traffic in fact there are cops stopping traffic to allow people to turn into the stadium. They decided to do this just as I was approaching this section of the road.

Now, according to strict road traffic rules when the cop stopped north bound traffic I probably should have come to a stop too, even though I was on the shoulder. I was actually going to, but something in me felt a little uneasy. I figured I was just anxious to get home after my bad day. In any effect I rolled on by.

It saved my life.

Just after I passed the cop I hear mayhem behind me. The death squeal of brakes slammed on too late. I figure some idiot wasn't paying attention and was used to no lights on this section of road. He was on auto pilot -then saw the cars stopped by the cop too late and slammed on his brakes. He didn't have enough time to stop before hitting them so he swerved...onto the shoulder where I would have been if I had stopped. And he kept going.

I was rolling just a bit ahead when I heard this banshee squeal of brakes behind me. I could hear the speed as the truck was coming up on me. I realized they were not going to stop short of me. Instincts took over and I started to try and bunny hop the curb and get off the road into the grass, but that same feeling kind of took over. I actually veered instead a bit towards traffic. Right as I did so I hear a loud crash/crunch next to me and glanced over at the bumper of a large pickup a foot or so from me - sailing over the curb and into the grass sliding well past me. If I'd tried going into the grass....

Man, how do you count lucky? I was freaked out but ok. When I rode past the guy in the truck a second later I had the presence of mind to mouth WTF? as I went by.

You know, there's a day when we're all gonna meet our maker. Like Pcad says there's probably a Ford F150 out there somewhere with our name on it (heh - I think this was a Chevy actually). Someday we're all gonna go.

But I guess this just was not my day.

rog

Scary stuff, mate...glad you made it through ok.

BananaTugger

You can dodge bullets.



Try not to die on us. We need you.

Trickery

damn! sounds scary. I've been struggling with autos during my rides lately. Nothing like that though, just getting pissed of by people cutting me off.
Glad your here to post about it

ravenmore

thanks guys - yeah, I ride a lot and this by far the scariest thing I've had happen. Freaked me out pretty good at the time.

Cleave

Hi,

Very scary, but I guess it was your day -- to live.

Sounds like your instincts were working better than fate. The police didn't make you stop after the accident?

HastyDeparture

He doesn't have to dodge them.

thebarerider

Happy to hear you're OK, even if you are a Longhorns fan

ravenmore

No - I actually did look over at the cops, then the truck, then the cops. The one cop I was looking at gave me a wide eyed shrug. Like 'holy **** I can't believe that but I'm stuck holding up traffic and can't get over there' kind of thing. I rolled past in a matter of seconds. The truck didn't pass me before I turned off so I don't know what happened after I rolled out of the scene.

ravenmore

heh - duly noted. thanks.

mollusk

I hear you. I'm glad that you are able to post about it.

Today I just KNEW that this car was going to right hook me so I got ready. He did and I slammed on the brakes and came up just short.

It must be one of those days.

ravenmore

will do senor. will do.

palesaint

It's always good to ride defensively and assume the idiot in front is going to do something stupid and be ready for it. But how can you be defensive with a truck coming up behind?

... Just amazing Ravenmore. Make sure to keep listening to that feeling.

aham23

not your day was a good for you today. later.

cbip

Wow, you were just a little ways behind us. Glad you got through it ok. Your adrenaline should be running high for the Outlaw, go hammer the boys.

Creakyknees

Trust the instincts. I can't count the number of times it's saved my life. Even when like Ravenmore you got no hard evidence.

Glad you're alive R. I know that stretch of Parmer and I recall driving down it and seeing riders and thinking "geez I wouldn't ride this highway but I guess that's all they got around here."

RacerOne

Very sobering and nice spidey sence. Now go out there and use the rest of your life wisely, not that you weren't before, just saying..

ravenmore

Heh - Chuck, when have you known me not to hammer? I actually thought about trying to catch up to you guys actually. Hope ya'll had a better ride than I did.

Flatballer

If this is a bad day, wtf happens on a good day?

I'd say this was a pretty damn good day. You probably should be dead, twice. But you're not.

As Ice Cube says "It was a good day".

Oh, and thanks for making me scared to go ride tomorrow. Glad you're alive though.

cbip

Yes it was great to be out in the great weather we had today. Wish I was doing the Outlaw but I gotta sell some bikes instead, boy it sucks working in a bike shop when Saturday rolls around.

ravenmore

Yep - exactly my point. In spite of the stuff I had come up today I'm enjoying my evening. Some days its good just to suck air at the end of it.

cbip

Mike- Are you gonna jump on my thread and help us build a bike?

ravenmore

which thread - sorry, must have missed it?

cbip

Down the page a little.

NYJayhawk

Like some others have posted, the "not your day" thing is all backward. You had something/somebody looking out for you today. Glad you're ok.

When stuff like that happens, it's a good reminder to take stock in what you DO have. Whether it's hugging your kids, your mate, or just looking around and realizing that you're healthy and have a warm/dry place to sleep at night, it's a little reminder of what CAN happen.

Anyways, sheet happens, and today in fact it didn't. Be thankful.